Apparatus for loading and unloading luggage



Oct. 21, 1969 L. PLATT 3,473,762

APPARATUS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING LUGGAGE Filed Jan. 31, 1968 Fig.1

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Z Z LESLIE PLATT BY I 22 w (Ra/M 's}- United States Patent 3,473,762 APPARATUS FOR LOADING AVD UNLOA-DING LUGGAGE Leslie Platt, 47 Stanton Circle, New Rochelle, N.Y. 10807 Filed Jan. 31, 1968, Ser. No. 701,909 Int. Cl. B64c 1/22; B64d 9/00 US. Cl. 244-137 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to means for loading and unloading luggage as well as articles of merchandise of substantially the same type and size as the average luggage. The invention relates more particularly to the loading, transportation and unloading of luggage belonging to passengers of aeroplanes of all types.

It is a matter of general knowledge that at the present time the transportation of personal luggage presents substantial problems not only for the aeroplane companies, but also for the passengers and these problems are liable to be increased with the anticipated increase in the size of aircraft and in the number of its passengers.

Passengers now deliver their luggage upon arrival at the terminal. Most companies issue receipts for the number of bags checked, although this practice is not always followed for so-called shuttle flights of short duration. The bags are loaded on small trucks which take them to the aeroplane. Then the bags are loaded one upon the other in a separate secton of the aeroplane. Upon arrival, the bags are placed upon small trucks and are often delivered to movable or inclined platforms facing a line of Waiting passengers.

The experience of some of the passengers is that their bags or their contents have been damaged during transport since heavier bags are sometimes dropped upon lighter ones. Other passengers have lost their bags, either as a result of theft at the delivery end or due to confusion caused by the fact that many bags look alike and that the receipt numbers are not always properly checked.

An object of the present invention is to improve these conditions by providing means which will enable a passenger to personally control the delivery and the withdrawal of his luggage and which will preserve the luggage during transportation.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

In the accomplishment of the objectives of the present invention it was found desirable to provide a series of containers, preferably made of a light material, such as molded plastic, and separated by inner dividing walls into a plurality of lockers, preferably arranged in checkerboard manner. The containers are placed upon platforms provided with wheels. A passenger, when stating his flight, is given a key to a specific locker. His baggage is placed in that locker by him or under his supervision, whereupon he locks his locker and keeps the keys. When a sufficient number of containers has been filled, the platforms Patented Oct. 21, 1969 carrying these containers are moved from the passenger section of the terminal into the field and under the bay of the aircraft. The baggage section of the aircraft is preferably provided with shelves of the size corresponding to that of the containers. A hoist, which may be a part of the aircraft equipment, lifts the containers from the platforms and places them upon the shelves. Upon arrival, the same hoist can lower the containers upon empty platforms which have been moved under the aircraft for the purpose of receiving them. Then the platforms are wheeled into the baggage section of the terminal where the passengers can unlock the lockers with their keys and remove their baggage.

It is apparent that the described procedure will greatly facilitate the loading and unloading of luggage, will avoid damage to luggage and will prevent expenditure of nervous energy by passengers hunting for their luggage.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, showing by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea In the drawing: 1

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a possible arrangement of containers and their platforms in a passenger section of an aircraft terminal.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the loading of the containers into an aircraft.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view, partly in section, illustrating a possible arrangement of the containers within an aircraft.

The drawing shows a plurality of luggage containers 10. The containers may be made of molded plastic or other lightweight material. In the example illustrated, the containers 10 have the shape of rectangular boxes divided by inner compartments (not shown) into a plurality of lockers 11 arranged in checkerboard manner. Each locker 11 has a separate keyhole 12 for use with a different key.

It is apparent that, depending upon requirements, the containers can be made of different shape and may have lockers of different sizes, namely, smaller lockers for hand baggage and larger lockers for trunks and boxes.

The containers 10 are placed upon platforms 13 of corresponding size. Each platform 13 is mounted upon wheels 14 and carries upwardly extending stops 15 preventing the shifting of the containers. The two ends of a platform carry chain and hook connections 16 so that several such platforms can be conveniently joined to form a train.

In the example illustrated, each platform 13 is adapted to carry a single container. Obviously, platforms of larger size may be also used each one of which will accommodate two or more containers.

A possible arrangement of containers 10 carried by platforms 13 in a passenger waiting room of an airport, is illustrated in FIG. 1. Each passenger is given his own key opening his own locker. The passenger or his porter, places his baggage in his locker, locks it and keeps the key. When the containers have been filled or when it is time to start loading the aircraft, the train of platforms 13 is pulled either by hand or by a small motor (not shown) out of the exit 17 of the terminal and under the luggage section 18 of an aircraft 19.

A hoist 20 (FIG. 2) of any known construction is used to lift the containers 10 from the platforms 13 and to deposit them inside the luggage section 18. As shown in FIG. 3, the luggage section 18 is preferably provided with benches 21 located on opposite sides of the trap opening 22 so as to facilitate the loading of the containers. The benches 21 are of suitable size and shape so as to keep the containers securely in place during flight.

9 .2 Obviously, belts or ropes (not shown) may be also used to hold the containers in place.

When the aircraft has arrived at its destination, the procedure is reversed. The trap 22 is opened and the hoist 20, which may be a part of the aircraft equipment, is used to lower the containers 10 upon platform 13 which have been pulled in the meantime under the aircraft. When all containers have been unloaded, the train of platforms is pulled into a baggage section of the airport, whereupon each passenger using his own key can unlock his own locker and remove his baggage.

As already stated, the described arrangement will be of great advantage to passengers since it Will prevent damage to and loss of luggage and will greatly shorten the time required to find ones luggage. It should be also of substantial advantage to areoplane companies since it will greatly simplify and facilitate the hadling of luggage.

What is claimed is:

1. Luggage transport for aircraft, comprising in combination with a plurality of interlocked Wheeled platforms and a plurality of containers consisting of light plastic and each having a plurality of separate key-operated lockers, said containers being adapted to be mounted upon said platforms; an aircraft having a bay with a luggage compartment comprising supports for said containers and a hoist for removing said containers from said platforms and placing them upon said supports and for removing said containers from said supports and placing them upon said platforms.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,087,850 2/1914 Thornley 3l2l98 2,404,195 7/1946 Schlieben 244l37 3,028,130 4/1962 Burton 244l37 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner T. W. BUCKMAN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

2l438; 3l2l98 

